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New Monterey ordinance outlaws sitting, lying on sidewalks

Starting Wednesday, a new city ordinance in Monterey will go into effect prohibiting anyone from sitting or lying down on certain sidewalks between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

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Updated: 7:22 PM PDT Sep 29, 2014

New Monterey ordinance outlaws sitting, lying on sidewalks

Starting Wednesday, a new city ordinance in Monterey will go into effect prohibiting anyone from sitting or lying down on certain sidewalks between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

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Updated: 7:22 PM PDT Sep 29, 2014

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WEBVTT IN MONTEREY -- ANEW ORDINANCE WILL BEIN EFFECT STARTING INOCTOBER.IT'S THE SIT/LIEORDINANCE AND ITPROHIBITS PEOPLE FROMSITTING OR LYING DOWNON THE SIDEWALK INDESIGNATED AREAS.ACTION NEWSREPORTER JACQUELINEMAZUR IS LIVE INMONTEREY WITH THEDETAILS TONIGHT.JACQUELINE? ####DAN/ERIN -- IT'STAKEN CITY LEADERSMONTHS TO ENACT THENEW SIT/LIE ORDINANCE.AND IT ALL STARTEDBECAUSE BUSINESSOWNERS -- VISITORS ANDTHE COMMUNITY ARECOMPLAINING THAT THECITY OF MONTEREY IS NOLONGER SAFE."ROUGHLY AFTER 31:57-It's just gotten to thepoint where the safety ofpeople walking up anddown our sidewalks is inperil." THAT'S BECAUSEPEOPLE ARE BLOCKINGTHE SIDEWALK -- EITHERWITH THEIR PERSON ORTHEIR BELONGINGS ANDTHE NEW SIT/LIEORDINANCE IS AN EFFORTTO PUT A STOP TO THAT."45:24- We need to makethis a place that'sfriendly for everyone."THE ORDINANCE --WHICH GOES INTOEFFECT OCTOBER FIRST-- PROHIBITS SITTING ORLYING DOWN ON THESIDEWALK IN FRONT OFDESIGNATED PROPERTYDOWNTOWN -- ONCANNERY ROW AND ONNORTH FREMONTSTREET.AND WHILE CITY LEADERSHAVE DISCUSSED FORMONTHS WHAT TO DOABOUT THE PROBLEMWITH TRAVELERSFREQUENTING THE CITY-- POLICE CHIEF PHILPENKO SAYS THIS NEWORDINANCE IS NOTTARGETING ANY SPECIFICGROUP."34:51-I will not allow anofficer to say ok thatperson is deserving onebecause of their stationin life or their socio-economic status.Its based on behavior."BUT COUNCILMEMBERNANCY SELFRIDGE THINKSOTHERWISE -- AND SAYSIT'S THE TRAVELERS WHOARE TO BLAME."41:51- Our trulyhomeless people areinvisible. They are notdown on Alvarado Street,or on the Transit Plazahanging out, they arewilling to get help." INMONTEREY --JACQUELINE MAZURKSBW ACTION NEWSEIGHT.####PEOPLE SITTING ON APUBLIC BENCH OR BUSSTOP AND UTILIZINGSIDEWALK CAFES FOREXAMPLE......ARE JUST A FEWEXCEPTIONS TO THEORDINANCE.DAN/ERIN? ####POLICE TELL US NOONE WILL BE CITEDWITHOUT A 30 DAYWARNING FIRST.AFTER THAT... YOUWILL BE ISSUED A NOTICETO APPEAR IN COURT ORISSUED A CITATIONWHICH COULD END UPCOSTING YOU UP TO 100DOLLARS IN FINES.####

New Monterey ordinance outlaws sitting, lying on sidewalks

Starting Wednesday, a new city ordinance in Monterey will go into effect prohibiting anyone from sitting or lying down on certain sidewalks between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.